Hanger release



J. w. PALLISSARDE March 29, 1960 HANGER RELEASE j device showing condition;

Figure 3 is a broken sectional view similar to'Figj ure Z'but showing the blade in extended or releasing position; 7

HANGER RELEASE Joseph W. Pallissard, Broadview, 111., assignor to Identification, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application November 21, 1957, Serial No. 697,917

8 Claims. (Cl. 221-289) This invention relates to a hanger release particularly adapted for use in connection with shirt or garment sorting machines.

In modern laundries semi-automatic sorting machines are often used for segregating laundered shirts or other garments according to ownership. Prior to the sorting step, workers place the laundered and ironed shirts belonging to a number of different customers upon hangers and these hangers are then arranged in series upon a feed rail or track leading to the sorting machine. During sorting, the shirt-carrying hangers are released one by one from the feed rail upon a suitable conveyor and are mechanically guided to difierent stations, shirts belonging to the same customer going to the same station,

where the sorted shirts for each customer are collected, folded and packaged.

One of the main problems in providing an eifective sorting machine concerns the means utilized for successively releasing the shirt-carrying hangers upon the sorters conveyor track. The release must be immediate and positive so that the hook of the released hanger will engage the conveyor at the proper instant and will be guided along a preselected path to its destination. Furthermore, it is essential that only the foremost hanger of the series supported by the feed rail be discharged when the release means is actuated since otherwise the hanger or hangers following directly therebehind may be conveyed to the wrong collecting station. or, by premature release upon the conveyor track, may interfere with the timing and operation of the sorting machine.

Therefore, one of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a hanger release which overcomes the aforementioned problems. Another object isto provide highly etfective releasing means for successively releasing garment hangers for subsequent handling by a garment sorting machine. A further object is to provide a hanger releasing device having a positive action for hangers while at the same time preventing the simultaneous release of other hangers of the series disposed directly therebehind. A still further object is to provide a quick-acting release wherein the foremost shirt-carry.

ing hanger of a series quickly drops from the feed rail when the releasing device is actuatedbecause of the limited frictional engagement between that hanger and the rail. 7 Other objects will appear from the specification anddrawings in which: i r

Figure l is a broken and somewhatdiagrammatic respective view of a hanger release embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a broken vertical section of the releasing the hanger'relea'sing' blade in retracted wardly along the underside of the rail. ,of the spring is riveted or otherwise secured to the stop member while the upper end of that spring is attached i e n Friar. 29,1969

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional'view taken along line 4--4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view illustrating the manner in.

,which the garment hangers are supported upon the fee rail. 5

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a hanger releasing device comprising a feed rail 11 for slidably supporting a series of hangers 12, a movable stop member 13, a movable releasing member 14 for retracting the .stop member, and solenoid means 15 for actuating the releasing member. For the purpose of clearly illustrating the elements and their structural relationship, hangers 12 have been shown without shirts or garments carricljd thereon. However, it is to be understood that during normal operation of the apparatus each of the hangers of the series supported by the feed rail will carry a shirt or other garment so that upon actuation of the releasing device the foremost garment-holding hanger will drop down onto the conveyor track of the garment sorting machine. The position of this conveyor track is represented in Figure 1 by broken line 16 which passes horizontally directly below the terminal end of the feed rail 11. 7

As shown most clearly in Figures 2 and 3, the feed rail is inclined downwardly and forwardly and is provided with a generally vertical central opening 17.-adjacent its lower end. This opening receives the stop member 13 which is movable between a raised position (Figure 2) and a lowered position (Figure 3) with reference to the feed rail. Normally, the stop member is held in raised position by a leaf spring 18 extending up- The lower end .the hook portion of the foremost hanger 12 supported releasing the foremost of a series of garment-carrying will slide easily therealong because of its inclination.

'bmat1on with that frame, defines a passage 23 for guidupon the feed rail. It will also be noted that the feed rail is preferably formed from a generallyflat metal strip having smooth surfaces and, if desired,slightly rounded edges to provide only limited frictional'engagement with the wire hook portion of a hanger suspended therefrom (Figure 5). Hence, in the illustrated embodiment, the curved hook portion of a hanger suspended fronrthe rail 11 contacts only the upper edges of that rail and Preferably, the lower end of the feed rail in front of opening 17 is curved downwardly for further increasing the sliding eifect and for insuring proper release of a garment-carrying hanger upon actuation of the releasing means. Thesloping feed rail may be rigidly'secnred to a suitable supporting frame by frame extensions 20 which support the rail without interfering with movement'of hangers hooked thereon.

Above the stop member is a downwardly extending frame member 21 which terminates a spaced distance above the rail 11 and which has a rear surface extending along a plane normal to the plane of insert-"A "channel member or plate'22 is secured'to therear 'face of frame 21 adjacent the lower end thereof and, in' comingsliding movement of the retractable release member which is longitudinally slidable in passage 23 and which is tapered or pointed at its lower end (Figures 2 and 3). The blade at its upper end is provided with a rearwardly directed portion 26 and this portion is apertured. to

slidably receive the upstanding guide shaft 25. A helical compression spring 27 extends about the shaft between the rearwardly directed portion 26 of the blade and the rearwardly extending car 24 of the guide channel and urges the slidable blade upwardly into a normally retracted or raised position, as illustrated most clearly in Figure 2. In this position, the blade is poised above the rail 11 and stop member 13 and does not interfere with sliding movement of hangers suspended from the feed rail.

The solenoid operating means 15 is mounted upon frame 21 above the blade 14 and is equipped with a reciprocable plunger 28 which has its lower end secured to the rearwardly projecting blade portion 26. When the solenoid is rte-energized, the force of compression spring 27 is sufficient to raise the blade and plunger into the raised positions shown in Figure 2. However, when the solenoid is energized, the plunger is driven downwardly, overcoming the upward force of the spring and driving the reciprocable blade into contact with the retractable stop member 13 (Figure 3). Any suitable switching means for energizing and de-energizing the solenoid may be utilized and, as diagrammatically illustrated in Figure l, the solenoid may be in circuit with a central control 29 which coordinates or synchronizes its operation with the operation of other elements of the garment sorting machine.

An important aspect of the present invention lies in the cooperation of the stop member 13 and the release member 14 when the latter is actuated. When the release member or blade is retracted (Figure 2) the upstanding leg 19 of the L-shaped stop 13 abuts the foremost hanger of a series hooked upon the feed rail and positively prevents advancementof the series therealong. It will be noted that the plane of blade reciprocation is spaced behind the rear face of stop portion 19 a distance equal to the cross sectional diameter of the hook portion of each of the identical hangers 12 so that when solenoid 15 is energized the depending blade passes downwardly between the hook portions of the first and second hangers of the series. As the blade continues downwardly, its pointed end engages the stop member 13 and drives that member into its lowered or retracted position (Figure 3). Since the upstanding portion 19 of the stop member is disposed below the upper surface of the apertured rail when that member isretracted, the foremost hanger of the series is free to slide downwardly off the end of the feed rail and onto the conveyor 16 of the sorter.

In the releasing operation described above, it will be noted that the tapered front and rear surfaces at the lower end and the rounded across section of the hangers wire hook portions, the releasing blade passes easily between the adjacent hangers of the series.

Since the blade 14 must pass between the hook portions of the first and second hangers before it can engage and retract the stop member, it is evident that the blade performs the dual functions of releasingthe= foremost hanger (by retracting the stop) and also preventing advancement of the remaining hangers disposed therebehind. Thus, as long as the blade is extended and engages the stop member it serves as a stop for positively preventing forward movement and release of all suspended hangers disposed therebehind. When the blade retracts upon de-energization of the solenoid, stop 13 moves upwardly into operative position to limit advancement of the series of hangers hooked upon the rail.

While in the foregoing I have disclosed an embodiment of the present invention in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many of these details may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. a

I claim:

1. A garment hanger releasing device comprising an inclined stationary rail having smooth surfaces for slidably suspending a series of garment hangers, said rail having an opening extending therethrough, a stop member movable between raised and lowered position with reference to said stationary rail and having at least a portion thereof projecting upwardly through saidopening and above the upper surface of said rail when said member is in its raised position, means operatively connected to said stop member for normally urging the same into said raised position, an opposing release mem ber normally spaced above said rail and movable downwardly into said opening for driving said stop member into said lowered position, and means for actuating said release member, said release member being disposed a spaced distance substantially equal to the thickness of a single hanger behind the outwardly projecting portion of said stop member for releasing the foremost hanger of said series while at the same time directly and positively preventing advancement of the following hangers when said stop member is depressed thereby.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said release member comprises a longitudinally-movable elongated blade having a tapered lowered end engageable with sai stop member,

3. A garment hanger releasing device comprising an inclined stationary rail adapted for slidably supporting a series of garment hangers by the wire hook portions thereof, said rail having a vertical opening extending therethrough, a movable stop member having a raised position wherein the same projects upwardly through said opening for limiting sliding movement of said hangers therebeyond and having a lowered position wherein said member is entirely disposed below the upper surface of said rail, spring means operatively connected to said rail and said stop member for urging said stop member into said raised position, a vertically movable release blade normally spaced above said rail and movable downwardly into said opening for engaging said stop member and for moving the same into said lowered position, and means for reciprocating said release blade, said blade being disposed a spaced distance corresponding to the thickness of the wire hook portion of a single garment hanger behind the hanger-abutting surface of said stop member for releasing the foremost hanger of said series while at the same time directly engaging the second hanger of the series and positively preventing advancement of the second and following hangers when said stop member-is depressed thereby.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said blade is vertically elongated and is tapered at its lower end.

5. The structure of claim 3 in which the means for reciprocating said blade comprises a solenoid having a plunger operatively connected thereto for driving said blade downwardly when the solenoid is energized and spring means for urging said blade upwardly when said solenoid is deenergized.

6. In a garment hanger supporting structure having an inclined stationary rail for slidably suspending a series of hangers by the wire hooks thereof, a movable stop member having an extended position wherein a surface of the same is disposed in the path of sliding movement of said hooks for abutting and limiting advancement thereof along said stationary rail and having a retracted position wherein said surface is removed from the path of sliding movement of said hooks, spring means for urging said stop member into a normally extended position, a reciprocable release member operatively opposing said stop member having a retracted position out of the path of hanger movement and having an extended position whereinthe same is disposed in said path and drives said stop member into retracted position, said release member having a plane of reciprocation spaced from the hanger-abutting surface of said stop member a distance corresponding to the thickness of the wire hook portion of a single hanger, and means for reciprocating said release member.

7. The structure of claim 6 in which said release member comprises an elongated blade having a tapered end portion adapted to pass between the hangers of said series and to engage said stop member for retracting the same when said blade is extended.

8. The structure of claim 6 in which the means for reciprocating said release member includes a solenoid having a plunger operatively connected thereto.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 672,330 Peck Apr. 16, 1901 1,520,160 Van Der Wyk Dec. 23, 1924 2,427,712 Casler et al Sept. 23, 1947 

